THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015 SPORTS What to look out for in the Europa League

PARIS: The first legs of the Europa Manchester United duo Robin van Persie League play-offs will be played today. and Nani as well as the Denmark defend- Fresh from brushing aside Dutch side er Simon Kjaer and Brazil Vitesse Arnhem in the third qualifying Sousa, was not enough for them to get round, their first victory in a European tie the better of Shakhtar Donetsk in the since 1981, Southampton face the Champions League third qualifying Danish champions Midtjylland for a round. Now the Istanbul giants can place in the group stage, with the first expect a warm welcome in Greece as leg at St Mary’s. Ronald Koeman’s side they take on Athens outfit Atromitos, are bidding to join Tottenham Hotspur who finished fourth in their domestic and Liverpool and make it three last season and have since signed League clubs in the group stage, but the French striker Anthony Le Tallec, striker Shane Long knows they must do once of Liverpool. better than in their 3-0 home loss to Fresh from beating Barcelona 5-1 on Everton last weekend. aggregate in the Spanish Super Cup to “We know we’re better than that and win their first silverware in 31 years, hopefully we have more to offer. It’s just Athletic Bilbao travel to northern Slovakia back to the drawing board and try to to face MSK Zilina on Thursday. Athletic, learn from it and plan because we’ve got Europa League runners-up under Marcelo four games in two weeks coming up so Bielsa in 2012, will need to quickly turn we have the chance to make some differ- their focus towards a tie against oppo- ence,” Long told the Saints website. nents who have already come through Midtjylland, from the town of Herning, three qualifiers to get to this stage. After won their first Danish title last season but beating Barcelona, the Basque side’s were eliminated in the Champions coach Ernesto Valverde said: “It is not the League third qualifying round by APOEL Copa del Rey or a Liga, but this trophy of Cyprus. has immense value. There will be no bet- The Danes, whose Ugandan-born star- ter place to celebrate it than Bilbao.” let Pione Sisto is one to watch along with Athletic are bidding to join fellow Finnish former Saint Tim Sparv, are Spaniards Villarreal, who qualify automat- owned by Englishman Matthew Benham, ically, in reaching the group stage. who is also the owner of London club Borussia Dortmund have enjoyed an Brentford. Benham has championed an excellent start to life under new coach analytics-based approach that means the Thomas Tuchel, the successor to Jurgen club relies heavily on statistics and math- Klopp. Dortmund, two-time UEFA Cup ematics when it comes to recruitment finalists, beat Borussia and team set-up. Moenchengladbach 4-0 in their opening SPAIN: Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi (foreground right) react in this file photo as Athletic Bilbao players celebrate at the end of a In Azerbaijan, Gabala entertain Greek game of the new Bundesliga campaign second leg Spanish Super Cup. — AP outfit Panathinaikos having already won last weekend. That followed a 2-0 defeat three ties in Europe this season. of third-tier Chemnitzer in the German However, this game will be played under Cup first round and a 6-0 aggregate vic- Will stability breed more something of a cloud as Gabala captain tory against Wolfsberg of Austria in the Javid Huseynov was one of six people third qualifying round. Henrikh arrested last week in relation to the Mkhitaryan is a man in form, the death of journalist and rights activist Armenian having scored six goals in success for Barcelona? Rasim Aliyev, who was severely beaten Dortmund’s last three games. Odd, who by attackers after criticising the player on hail from Skien, two hours south of Oslo, MADRID: In contrast to the previous two years and which scored a record 122 goals on son. Pique was sent-off for losing his cool with Facebook. Reports in Azerbaijan say came third in the Norwegian top flight Barcelona have enjoyed the calm of a summer the way to winning the Champions League, the officials in the second leg of the Spanish Huseynov, a striker capped at interna- last season and are fifth two-thirds of the without major changes on and off the pitch after Copa del Rey and La Liga last season? At Super Cup against Athletic as Barca’s hopes of tional level, has been removed from the way through this season. In Europe, they claiming a second treble in six years. Barcelona a drama is never far away as evi- winning six trophies in a calendar year slipped team until the situation has been clari- have already beaten opposition from Success breeds stability, but the lack of denced by the fact that Enrique was on the away. As a result he is likely to be suspended fied. Fenerbahce’s big summer invest- Moldova, Ireland and Sweden to reach movement in the transfer market was partly verge of the sack back in January before ending when Barca return to San Mames to face Athletic ment, which saw them sign the likes of this stage. — AFP imposed on the club as it served the last of a his debut season in the hot seat with three on the first day of the season and for the trip to two-window ban on registering players for major trophies. Off the field, despite his election Atletico Madrid on September 12. breaking FIFA rules in signing minors. That hasn’t success, Bartomeu’s position is likely to come In midfield, the talismanic presence of Xavi stopped the Catalans splashing nearly 60 million under more scrutiny as he is due to stand trial Hernandez will be missed for the first time in 17 euros ($66.5 million, £42.6 million) on Arda Turan later in the year on tax evasion charges over the years whilst doubts remain over the ability of and Aleix Vidal from Atletico Madrid and Sevilla controversial deal which brought Neymar to the youngsters Rafinha and Sergi Roberto to provide respectively, but neither will be able to play until club in 2013. cover to Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and January when the market reopens. Meanwhile, on it there could also be prob- Ivan Rakitic. Both were signed ahead of the big event of lems ahead due to a lack of balance as evi- Yet, all those worries pale into comparison Barca’s summer - their presidential elections - as denced by a 5-1 aggregate drubbing by Athletic with those faced by Barca’s opponents in stop- Josep Maria Bartomeu attempted to pull out all Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup and blowing a ping arguably the most fearsome strike force the stops to stay in power. 4-1 lead against Sevilla before claiming the UEFA world football has ever seen. There were also new contracts for coach Luis Super Cup 5-4 after extra time just days previ- With Suarez free to start the campaign unlike Enrique and Dani Alves and the elections went ously. Even when Turan and Vidal are free to play last season when he was banned until October swimmingly for Bartomeu as he routed former they are likely to be restricted to bit part roles and fresh after missing the Copa America from president and long-term rival Joan Laporta to amongst a throng of attacking talent. suspension, Barca’s South American triumvirate win the right to lead the club for another six The defence hasn’t been strengthened at all could easily top their tally from last year. Having years. So what can stop a settled Barca side con- and a reliance on Gerard Pique could be won five titles in the past seven years, Barca taining a front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez exposed in a challenging start to the league sea- remain the team to beat in La Liga. — AFP Judge urges NFL, union to try for settlement

NEW YORK: A federal judge yesterday urged hearing over whether the judge should con- league standards, placed the blame on two the National Football League and its players firm or vacate Goodell’s July 28 decision Patriots employees but said Brady was “at union to continue discussing a possible set- confirming Brady’s suspension. least generally aware” of what happened. tlement to resolve their dispute over New Since the NFL filed a lawsuit seeking his An underinflated football can be easier to England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s confirmation last month, Berman has grip for a quarterback, particularly in raw four-game “Deflategate” suspension. repeatedly encouraged both sides to settle. outdoor conditions like January’s American US District Judge Richard Berman, sitting But despite the personal participation over Football Conference title game outside of in Manhattan, said both sides had enough the last week of both Brady and Goodell in Boston. The Patriots’ victory in that game “strengths and weaknesses” to their cases settlement talks, no deal has emerged. allowed the team to advance to the Super that they should come together to resolve The parties have asked Berman to rule by Bowl, where they beat the Seattle Seahawks their dispute rather than asking him to rule. Sept. 4, six days before New England’s 16- 28-24. The National Football Players “A settlement is a logical and rational game season begins in a nationally televised Association contends Goodell was not an option,” Berman said. game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. impartial arbiter because he had praised The judge said he would meet privately Brady was suspended for four games Wells’ work before the appeal, while the with the lawyers about a settlement later on over his alleged role in a scheme to deflate league said Goodell was authorized to con- Wednesday. Berman also scheduled an Aug. footballs in the Patriots’ 45-7 victory over the duct the hearing under its labor agreement. 31 hearing and directed both Brady and NFL Indianapolis Colts in a January playoff game. If the suspension remains in place, Brady Shane Long Commissioner Roger Goodell to attend. Ted Wells, a lawyer hired by the NFL to would not return until Oct. 18 when the Berman’s remarks came at the outset of a probe how the footballs were inflated below Patriots visit the Colts. — Reuters Sherwood looking Thauvin signs to trim Villa squad Newcastle deal LONDON: Manager Tim Sherwood said Saturday. Midfielder Carles Gil also fea- he wants to offload some members of tured in the game but went off in the NEWCASTLE: Marseille winger Florian Thauvin his Aston Villa squad before the trans- second half with a tight groin. “The has signed a five-year deal with Newcastle, the fer window closes on Sept. 1, the Derby match was a good workout for Premier League club announced yesterday. Birmingham Mail reported. the boys. I thought Jack was very good. The 22-year-old French Under-21 interna- Villa currently have 29 players in He played to the last minute,” tional passed a medical on Wednesday and their 25-man senior squad, but that Sherwood said. committed to the club until 2020. As part of number includes several under-21 “He looked fit enough to maybe be the deal his compatriot Remy Cabella heads players who do not count towards up for selection this weekend,” the the other way on a season-long loan after an their total under Premier League rules. manager added. Sherwood is also con- unsuccessful spell for the French international “There are still some players here fident that midfielder Ashley in England following his 10million euro (£7m, who know they can find other clubs,” Westwood, who recently signed a new $11.1m) move last year-Marseille have the the British daily quoted the manager five-year contract with the club, will option to buy him next summer. as saying. “But I think the balance of play for England this season. “I am delighted to be a Newcastle United the squad is getting a lot better. “I will be very surprised if Ashley player,” said Thauvin on Newcastle’s website. “I “There are some encouraging signs doesn’t play for England this season. have come from France to a really big club and but it’s very early days,” Sherwood He’s as good as that,” Sherwood told am very happy to be here,” added Thauvin, added. Villa could allow the likes of the club’s website who failed to fire last season scoring five goals Philippe Senderos, Charles N’Zogbia (http://www.avfc.co.uk/) in 36 appearances for Marseille. and Kieran Richardson to leave before “He’s very much in the Michael The deal was finalised several hours after deadline day, the Mail said. The club Carrick-mould. Michael is not getting the arrival of Marseille’s new Spanish coach were boosted by the return of mid- any younger. I am not sure they have Michel who replaces maverick Argentinian fielder Jack Grealish, who returned found a replacement for him yet,” the Marcelo Bielsa. Marseille have endured a diffi- from a hamstring injury to play the full manager added. “I think Ashley has got cult start to the new season, losing their open- 90 minutes and score for the U21s in a every chance. If he keeps on with his ing two matches 1-0. 1-0 win at Derby County on Monday. consistency-and the level of his per- Bielsa resigned immediately after the defeat The 19-year-old could be available for formances-I am sure it won’t be too far to Caen on the opening weekend of the sea- Villa’s league trip to Crystal Palace on around the corner.” — Reuters son, with his assistant taking Florian Thauvin charge for the loss at Reims last Sunday. — AFP